Speed

He was the fastest.

Nothing else mattered. Speed was all that mattered. He flew through the air and landed, maintaining his speed. His invisibility cloaked him like a second skin and he darted between two Crewmen, ignoring both. He could have struck either or both of them down in passing, but that would have slowed him down. Anything that slowed him down was unacceptable. The lights flickered and he ignored them, focusing on his path through the gargantuan Corpus starship. If it was an assassin of some kind, he would simply outrun them. It wasn't his problem, the others would kill the assassins. Or not. Not his problem. He had a mission and credits to make and that was all that mattered. Other Tenno were inconsequential. Slow, feeble or otherwise not able to keep up? They didn't matter. Only speed did.

He ran on even when a waypoint appeared in his HUD. The other team members calling for help. Fools. Didn't they know that would slow him down? If they couldn't handle a few assassins, then what good were they?

The only thing that mattered was finishing the mission and getting his credits. Nothing more. He saw the icons of the team suddenly change and ignored them. Someone would revive the fool who had gone down. Another fell and he sighed. He would have to do the mission solo it seemed. Not a problem, he would finish it faster if he didn't have to wait for the fools to catch up. He threw himself across a chasm as text scrolled across his HUD that he ignored. Some kind of bleating to come back or help or- WHAT THE-?

RUN! RUN! RUN! RU-

One word. One repeated word that cut off. What the hell? He actually stumbled his landing and jerked to a halt. None of the Corpus crew or mechs that surrounded him saw him as he keyed a query on his HUD. There was no reply. All three of the others were down. That shouldn't have been possible. Even Stalker wouldn't have taken all three of them! The kinslayer would have killed his target and then vanished. And... none were reviving. This was wrong.

Something blossomed inside his Swindle helmet. He wasn't sure for a moment what it was. Then he realized. It was fear. He shook himself and ignored it. He had a mission and he would complete it. 5000 credits wasn't much, but it was what he did. He made credits. Nothing else mattered. He didn't like being saddled with slow fools, but the Lotus insisted on occasion.

He started off gain, this time faster. He flew from wall to wall, over the heads of MOAs and Crewmen. None saw him. He made it to his destination and paused, just for a moment, to hack the console that guarded his target. He smiled under his helmet as he saw the Corpus security grid.

The Corpus were very good at a lot of things. Automation was their pride and joy. They were quite good at it. But in the end, when someone was faster than the automated systems, they were quite useless. He was past the laser grids and cameras in ten seconds flat. Not a record, but pretty good. A thrown Hikou disabled the sole camera that covered the access to the vault and he started hacking. Again, he was fast. It was what he did. But when the data transferred, instead of the Lotus congratulating him on not setting off any alarms, she screamed at him.

Tenno Franklin! RUN! Now!

He paused, just a for a second. What the hell? That was just a second too long.

The impact took him in the side, throwing him to the floor beside the now empty data vault he had just plundered. That wasn't possible! He was still invisible. No Corpus were in the vault! He hadn't been detected! He snarled to himself as he rolled to his feet and... stared down at the arrow that had impaled him. He jerked it free and shuddered. It looked... kind of like one of Stalker's arrows. But not entirely. Some sixth sense warned him and he dodged to the side as another arrow tore through where he had just been. He couldn't see anything. No shooter.

Lotus! He screamed in his mind as he fled for his life. What is going on?

Get away from her! The Lotus begged. She killed the others! We may or may not be able to revive them. But you... I think she is after you.

Who is shooting at me? The warframe danced as before through the milling Corpus. None of them had any idea what was happening or why. Then an arrow that missed him neatly decapitated a passing Crewman and all of the Corpus who could see the now slumping body screamed warnings. Two of them turned to hit alarms and the cloaked Tenno poured on the speed.

Just move! The Lotus commanded. As fast as you can, Tenno. You cannot fight her. Not there. He jerked to a stop, anger flaring. No...

I do not run from fights Lotus! He snapped in his mind, only to freeze as every single Corpus in the area suddenly curled up on themselves and fell to lie still. The power... he could see it flaring on his HUD. That was a Banshee Sound Quake! That the hell? Then his day got worse.

"Funny..." The voice. He knew the voice. "You run from fights every day. Why shouldn't you run from this one, coward?"

Franklin RUN! The Lotus' voice screamed in his skull. He ignored it as he cut his cloak and readied his swords.

"Serene." Tenno Franklin smiled under his helmet. There was a reward for her capture. A big one. "Show yourself sister."

"I am no sister of yours." Serene's voice... was wrong. "You have led me a merry chase. But here it ends." Franklin shook his head.

"I do not want to fight you, sister." Indeed, he did not. If he fought, he might get hurt and that would slow him down. Not acceptable.

"Fight?" She asked incredulously. Then she laughed. It was mocking, that laugh. "Oh, I am not going to fight you, Franklin. It wouldn't be much of a fight. You cowardly excuse for a Tenno. I wouldn't sully my hands. This is not a fight. This was a hunt. Thank you for playing the fleeing prey so well." She made a noise of contentment. "Then again, this really wasn't fair. I knew what you would do. Everything you would do. You would leave the others to die and run off to do your own thing. Because you are a cowardly piece of crap who lets others fight for you. If you take an Exterminate mission, it is to run around finding treasures while others kill everything."

"And?" Franklin was tapping his foot. He was getting bored.

"You really should have cultivated some patience, Franklin." Serene said with a sigh. "It might have saved your life."

"You cannot catch me, Serene." Franklin said with a smirk. "You are not fast enough."

"I am faster than you think, Franklin." Serene said quietly. "But today? I don't have to be." Those words chilled the Loki and he stared around for a moment, but nothing in his surroundings seemed to be a threat. "Don't bother. You might be fast, but I am darkness. You cannot find me unless I wish. And I don't."

"What is the point of this, Serene?" Franklin demanded. "Because if you will not surrender, and you will not fight, and you will not..." He paused as something horrific sounded in his mind. "No..."

'...'

"Right on time." Serene sounded... content.

"Serene, what have you done?" Franklin jerked and hit his Invisibility, only to scream as an arrow took him in the right arm. It disrupted his invisibility somehow and he was left clutching his arm in plain sight. "Serene..."

"Me?" Serene sounded innocent now. "Nothing. I just slowed you down enough for the Corpus security network to get a good look at you." She paused. "Oh, and I did see a report of a Zanuka being seen on this ship too." Artful innocence almost masked the malice. Almost.

"Serene, don't do this." Franklin had never thought to her himself beg. He screamed as another arrow took him in the left leg. He started off, only to see all of the hatches in the area close and lock. He didn't have much time. "Serene!"

"How many times have you supported the Grineer, Franklin?" Serene asked, ignoring the stumbling Loki. "I am honestly curious. They must have offered you a lot. Or was it just more credits? That is after all, your defining point. Greed."

"You can't do this!" Franklin said sharply. "I am Tenno! Like you!"

"YOU ARE NOTHING LIKE ME!" Serene screamed. "I loved a proud and noble woman! You love credits! You leave our kin to die because you can in the name of credits!" Another arrow hit his other arm and he fell to roll and come up. "You are a mercenary backstabbing piece of shit. My only true regret is that I cannot watch as Alad V takes you apart. I hope and pray you are awake for it."

The female Tenno's voice vanished but Franklin had no time to relax. Another voice sounded.

Tenno? Can you hear me? You've been a naughty little betrayer, haven't you? Did you really think your support for the Grineer would go unnoticed? Alad V's smug voice sounded across his mind, but he barely noticed it, the terror was rising. He was... it was...

No... Franklin tried to pull the arrows out, but his hands were not working right. He couldn't run. He couldn't fight. All he could do as Zanuka appeared nearby, paused on seeing him and then pounced was scream.

Nearby

She watched from her high perch as Zanuka made short work of the disabled Loki and picked his still form up to carry it away. She hoped that he would be awake for what Alad V would do to him. If anyone deserved to be awake and aware while being dissected, that mercenary pile of refuse did. She took no comfort in what she had done. It was wrong, but it was needed. How many Tenno had Franklin killed through negligence, apathy and greed? How many...

Serene... The Lotus was crying. Serene, please... There had been a time when Serene had loved the woman who spoke in her head. Now? She only felt caution. If the Lotus could find her, so could others. Serene, please. You need help. You haven't killed anyone yet, sister. Not even Franklin. Serene, talk to me! Please!

Serene's eyes narrowed under her helmet. She had disabled the other three of Franklin's cell before moving to confront the treacherous Loki. His treason had to be stopped. He was guilty. She had dealt with him. The others? They had just been in the way. She regretted that a bit, but they would recover, in time. If the Corpus didn't take them that was. She snarled at herself and started off to where she had ambushed the others. It hadn't been much of a fight. None of them had been very good. If they had been, it would have been different. Anyone with experience on being paired with Franklin would have left to find another assignment and damn the penalties. He got kin killed regularly. But it was never his fault. Oh no. They couldn't keep up, so it was their fault, not his. She forced herself to relax. He was handled. She could trust Alad V to handle that if nothing else.

She moved through the ducts as a deadly red and black ghost. Stalker's form of transport was...odd. But she had to admit it was effective. She had appeared not quite in the sight of the trio who had been playing it smart when Franklin had abandoned them. They had stayed together, supporting one another. A Frost, a Mag and an Ash, all had worked together. Until they had run into her anyway. None of them had been prepared. She had altered the harmonics of her Sound Quake so they could not protect against her. The Mag had gone own in seconds. Even utterly unprepared for her onslaught, the three had fought well. The Frost had tried to revive the Mag while the Ash had gone for Serene.

That hadn't worked out so well for them. Stalker's Despair had torn through the Ash and he had gone down moments before his own blade could have reached Serene. The Frost hadn't even tried to run. He had been throwing lead at her until her arrow had taken him down. But her shields had been far, far stronger than a normal Banshee's. Stalker had all kinds of cool toys in the storehouse whose location Serene had tortured out of the kinslayer before leaving the dojo she had called home for the last time.

She had a mission now. But she wasn't Franklin. She understood regret. She regretted having to disable those three Tenno. They had fought well and bravely against a foe that none could have expected or planned for.

Serene made her way through the ducts, but froze just before the opening that she had used to enter the ducts to chase down Franklin. Something was wrong. She couldn't hear anything. She couldn't see anything. But something was wrong. She knew this feeling, she had felt it before. She was being watched. She pulled a small sphere from a pouch and slid it towards the opening. It stopped just at the opening and she ghosted back into the duct. The tiny video camera attached to the rolling machine slid out and a tiny image appeared on her HUD. She stared, her stomach suddenly doing flips.

"No..." Serene swallowed hard as she saw the Corpus troops surrounding the Zanuka as it marked each fallen warframe. It could only carry one at a time, but from how the Corpus were acting... These were Alad V's men as well. She was indecisive for a moment, She could fight Zanuka, certainly. But then Franklin would escape to hurt kin again. She could kill the Corpus easily enough. But then Zanuka would escape. If she did nothing, those three Tenno who had only been in her way would die. She sighed, she was not Franklin.

But then the image changed. Zanuka vanished and the Corpus troops deployed as huge white form slammed into their midst. A Rhino warfame. One she knew.

"Karl..." Serene swallowed again, but forced herself to withdraw. Those fallen kin would take no harm from the Corpus if Karl was there. But then she came to a sudden stop. Coming face to face with a Boar shotgun in the confines of the duct would do that. The gray Loki was also someone she knew. "Hello Aeron."

"Serene." Aeron's voice was calm. That was good. "Nicely done with Franklin. Couldn't have done it better myself." High praise from the sniper. He defined sneaky and vindictive. "The others..." He gave sigh, but his muzzle didn't waver.

"They would have tried to help him." Serene said softly. "I was trying to disable. Not kill."

"You did." Aeron reassured her and she relaxed a bit. "They are angry. Can't blame them." Serene tensed, what was he doing? "Serene, Amelia is alive."

"Right." Serene drawled out the word mockingly. "Alive in a stasis pod. Never to wake. Sounds kind of dead to me."

"Serene, she isn't dead." Aeron pressed. "Please, sister. You haven't crossed the line yet. Don't. We can help." Serene grimaced. This Tenno was a brother. A good brother. He had trouble with his temper, but still, a good brother. He did not move as she knelt. "Serene..."

"No, you can't." Serene said softly. "The guilty will be punished. When next we meet, we meet as enemies." She keyed for a recall and felt the void take her as Aeron's shotgun roared. Too late. She tried to ignore the impassioned scream from outside the ducts. Karl screaming her name as she vanished.

The dojo

"Three hurt and one missing." Brianna sighed as she worked on the unconscious Mag. "Sister Nancia will be all right." Everyone relaxed a bit at that. "The other?"

The clan had brought the recovered kin back to the dojo for treatment. None would wake soon, but the Mag had been the only one in true danger of permanent death. But they had been in time.

"Oh, that one is dead." Karl shook his head. "Serene didn't kill him herself, but she killed him as surely as if she had." He sighed. "Tenno Franklin was a nasty piece of work, but that...?" He actually shuddered an most of the others in the medical ward shared it.

"She is scary." A weak voice from the side had all eyes turning. Amelia Priosa sat in the wheelchair that would be her home for the foreseeable future. Being shot nine times left marks that would be slow to fade. "I had to see!" She declared as Karl inhaled to reprimand her.

"Amelia." Brianna sighed and finished her work. "You are still too weak." She moved to the chair. "Where is Kori?"

"Asleep." Amelia said softly. "She has been so good to me. For me. I don't deserve her. But I had to see. I had to know. Serene... Serene did this..." The hurt doctor was crying. Brianna sighed and took her hands in gentle grips. "I know what she is. I know how she gets. But I didn't believe."

"I know, Amelia." Karl moved to kneel beside the hurt woman's chair. "She didn't believe Aeron either."

"Then we have to get me to see her. Somehow." Amelia recoiled as everyone in the room snarled a negative. "But... get her somewhere with no exits. Put me there. She won't hurt me."

"She won't allow that, Amelia. She won't allow herself to be trapped like that." Karl said taking one of Amelia's hands from Brianna to hold. "And neither can we. Anywhere that she can go will be far too dangerous to take you. Even if you were in perfect condition, she will go places we cannot take you. Ever."

"But we have to stop her!" Amelia said savagely. "This is... We have to stop her!"

"I know." Karl slumped a bit. "But Amelia... The only way to stop her..." Amelia blanched and then started crying again. When she spoke, the doctor's voice was low and pain filled.

"...is to kill her."